Legal Question in Employment Law in Massachusetts

employment contract

If you have a 1 year employment contract (July 1, 06 to June 31, 07), can your employer legally wait until June 30 and offer you another contract starting on (May 1, 07 to April 30, 08) and require that the new contract be prorated (essentially reducing your salary by 2 months) ? Are there any laws regarding prorated contracts? E.g when are contracts allowed to be prorated?


Asked on 8/18/07, 10:41 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
David Conforto Conforto Law Group

Re: employment contract

Thank you for your inquiry. To give you some background about ourselves, Conforto Law Group is a boutique Boston law firm specializing in employment law and committed to the representation of employees.

Regarding your question, an employer must generally have what is called "just cause" or "good cause" to terminate an employment contract. This generally creates an obligation on the employer�s part to engage in progressive discipline before terminating the employment relationship. To meet the just cause standard, a series of acts of misconduct or an extremely serious single act of misconduct, must occur. Without such events, an employer cannot terminate an employment contract early, unless agreed to by the employee.

Please do not hesitate to contact us directly should you have any additional questions.

Read more
Answered on 8/19/07, 2:38 pm
Howard Wilgoren Law Offices of Howard I. Wilgoren

Re: employment contract

No. Once you have a contract it can not be changed unilaterally and retroactively.

Read more
Answered on 8/22/07, 9:35 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Labor and Employment Law questions and answers in Massachusetts